Loads of family fun at Whistler

Loads of family fun at Whistler

Only parents of a preschooler can fully appreciate the situation. Gliding along in a gondola many metres above the ground, admiring the view of a receding Whistler Village, we come to an unexpected standstill. A minute passes. Then another. Then another two.

It's 32 C in the village, and as the minutes tick by, the tiny windows near the roof of the gondola do little to prevent the temperature inside from rising even higher. Although we are stopped for only about seven minutes, the heat has a distorting effect on time, making each minute seem like two.

At last, the gondola resumes its ascent. It seems only moments after we breathe our sighs of relief that we come to another halt. If it were simply the two of us in the gondola, we'd just sit back and take in the view, but that's too much to expect of a small child and we exchange a look of trepidation. We're not worried about our safety; what has us scared is that at any moment we could be confronted with a demand that we are powerless to obey -- something along the lines of: "Get me out of here -- now!"

Instead, much to our relief and somewhat to our surprise, Simran is captivated enough by how the village looks more and more like a dolls' town to put up with the heat.

The stop-and-start sightseeing ride takes about 40 minutes rather than the expected 20 to 30 to reach the Roundhouse. But there are no tantrums -- and, given the heat, a tantrum would have been understandable even in someone over four.

I wonder, though, if she'll refuse to reboard for the return trip. But no sooner do we disembark than she suggests we get back on immediately for another ride. What had the potential to be a mini-ordeal turns out to be a high point -- and not just literally -- during our weekend family getaway in Whistler.

It was the "getting away" aspect of a trip to this mountain resort that appealed to me the most. If you want to leave your familiar environs behind but vacation time is limited -- and you can't face border or ferry lineups -- then Whistler makes an appealing weekend getaway. We arrived in the village on Friday evening after a drive of just over 21/2 hours from Vancouver. Apart from one short stretch of highway where traffic was slowed down by a construction vehicle, there were no delays on the drive -- which meant there were only three "are we there yets" from the backseat. And we sacrificed only a half tank of gas to reach our destination.

We took our gondola ride early evening on Saturday, after a relaxing day spent strolling the village, exploring a Lost Lake trail (one of many nearby trails that are so effortless even small children won't find them too challenging) and watching Simran -- along with about a dozen other children -- clamber over, under and through a wooden play structure in the village. We had planned to squeeze in a visit to Meadow Waterpark, highly recommended by several parents we chatted with during our wanders through the village, but decided to save it for the following day since Simran was in no hurry to leave the play area.

(Never having seen anything like it, I was curious enough to do a little research later and learned that it was designed and built by artist Eric Scragg and was originally part of the the Fairmont Chateau Whistler's garden. The hotel donated the structure to the municipality of Whistler about 10 years ago.)

When you're in a lovely setting, have nowhere to rush to, a view of the mountains in the background and are surrounded by other people on vacation -- or mini-vacation -- it's incredibly relaxing to watch your child having a blast doing what comes naturally: jumping, sliding, climbing, hanging. Sure, you can watch children do that on any playground, but in this picturesque, laidback little world, it's a vastly different experience from squeezing in an hour in a chore-filled weekend to take the kids to the neighbourhood playground.

After stopping at Bocca Gelato (across from the grocery store in the Village Square) for some of the best hazelnut gelato I've ever tasted (and I've had a few), it was time to head over to the sightseeing gondolas. Once we reached the Roundhouse, only the promise of corn on the cob could lure Simran away from the gondolas heading back down. We were glad that she was eager for another ride despite the stop-and-start journey up, but we weren't about to return on an empty stomach when we knew there was a barbecue waiting for us just a short walk away.

The popular mountaintop barbecue -- often sold out -- tempts diners with corn, barbecued chicken, salads and a tantalizing array of pies and pastries. But the food, although tasty, wasn't the real highlight of the evening. What we'll remember was the experience of taking in the view while dining at 1,800 metres on Whistler mountain -- all to the accompaniment of live blue grass and country music in a very family-friendly atmosphere.

By the time we boarded a gondola back to the village, the technical glitch was under control and the descent was a smooth glide.

The next morning, after breakfast at the Chateau Whistler, we headed over to the Adventure Zone family activity centre, located just a few steps from the hotel at the base of Blackcomb Mountain. First, though, we strolled through the Farmers' Market, where 90 vendors -- wares include baked treats for dogs, fresh cherries, organic chocolate and an array of arts and crafts -- set up stalls every Sunday through the summer.

We had little time to browse -- once you've told a child that you're on your way to play, delays aren't tolerated -- let alone buy, but did enjoy the aromas of sweet treats wafting from several stalls.

Simran was content with mini-golf, the bouncy castle and slide, and the Westcoaster Luge. But older children were tackling everything from the Bungy Trampoline to the Great Wall climbing centre -- and something called the Spin Cycle Human Gyroscope (the fact there's a sign that promises it won't make you lose your lunch kind of says it all and we were content to merely observe rather than tempt fate).

After Simran had bounced to her heart's content and with the temperature again hovering around 32 C, we headed over to the water playground at Meadow Park (less than five kilometres north of the village), which several locals and visitors had highly recommended. From the views -- of the River of Golden Dreams as well as mountains -- to the water features, it lived up to the raves.

Whistler may be best known as a weekend warrior's paradise for its mountain biking, ziptrekking and rigorous trails, but we discovered it also deserves a nod as a family-friendly getaway for those of us whose athletic prowess is limited to the elliptical trainer. We accomplished our mission to get away from it all -- and we got there without exhausting ourselves or, more importantly, our preschooler in the process.

- We stayed at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler, within a quick stroll of the Adventure Zone. The burger expert in our family, who's done lots of research on the topic, proclaimed the hotel's Mountain Burger one of the best he's ever had (www.fairmont.com/whistler/ or call 1-800-606-8244)

- The Mountaintop barbecue is open Fridays and Saturdays until Aug. 30 from 5 to 8 pm. Prices: $24 for adults ($43.95 for barbecue plus gondola ride); $18 for youths and seniors ($36.95 for barbecue plus gondola ride); $6 for children 7 to 12 ($16.95 for barbecue plus gondola ride). Go to www.whistlerblackcomb.com/todo/summer/dine/index.htm

Whistler resident Pat Johnston, father of Samuel, 8, Elle, 5 and Sierra, 3, says there's no shortage of fun stuff for small children to do:

"Our children love riding along the Valley Trail from our house in Tapley's Farm -- within walking distance of the village -- to the water park at Meadow Park. That part of the trail travels along a beautiful estuary that is drained by the River of Golden Dreams.

"As such, the trail is always full of surprises -- frogs jumping across the trail, dragonflies following the kids on their bikes, many colourful birds . . . raccoons, and once we even saw a beaver swimming across.

"My young children love the water features at Meadow Park, including the cannon, which they love to spray at their dad, the jungle gym, sandbox, swings.

"Another favourite hit is floating down the River of Golden Dreams in a canoe or inflatable raft; my kids love to float through the estuary -- wonderfully scenic and quiet except for the folks flipping over in their canoes and shrieking at the cold water."

A VISITOR'S FAVES

Ellawyn Stacey from Vancouver visits Whistler twice a year with her family, which includes a six-year-old daughter and nine-year-old son: "Whistler offers enough equally age-appropriate activities for both our kids. If we do not bring our own bikes, renting is easy and costs a family of five about $70. Cycling in and around Whistler is always fun and easy for little cyclists.

"Walking to Lost Lake and having a picnic -- and maybe a dip in the lake, too! -- is another good activity. We've also tried the Tree Trek Eco Tour, which took two hours in total. What a wonderful experience! At one point we found ourselves at least 140 feet in the air at the top of the majestic Douglas Fir trees! It is an experience that is safe, educational, exciting and something the whole family can do together. I highly recommend it."

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